Winter Driving Austrian Alps

Any experience driving a full-sized rental car around the Austrian Alps in the snow? We%26#39;ll be there the first week of January and I was wondering if we can get to the higher resorts. How about the Brenner Pass: can we get to Italy for a day trip from Salzburg?

Thanks for any and all input

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Maybe also look here:

austria.info/xxl/…home.html

www.drivingabroad.co.uk/content.aspx…

http://www.driving-in.com/austria/

www.etyres.co.uk/winter-tyres-law#austria

The compulsary daylight will not exist any more from January 1st 2008 - but it is recommended using it, if the sight is not good (fog, snow, ...).

In winter driving can be quite difficult, especially if it is icy or if there are heavy snowfalls - it might be that there is snow on the highway, so you have to drive carefully and you will need winter tyres or chains.

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Brenner: B 182 or A 13/E45 : I%26#39;d google weather/snow info on it a day before I%26#39;d go.

http://www.verkehrsline.at/index1.html

In winter, I would not think of it as a day trip. Innsbruck - Bolzano is about 2 hours driving, Salzburg - Innsbruck is about 2 1/2 hours. Assuming you will stop and enjoy the scenery, have a lovely lunch somewhere, I%26#39;d make this a two day trip with overnight stay along the route or in Bolzano.

Here%26#39;s a link to a likely place to stop; the website also has a good Google map of the route.

http://www.wipptal.net/rose/gb1.htm

In any event, if you wish to explore Austria and it%26#39;s higher regions, ensure you have winter tires on your rental car (some agencies will charge extra per tire/day) and also take take the offered chains. Some Austrian roads cannot be driven without having chains with you and for some alpine roads, you must mount the chains at a certain point. No big deal, but be aware.

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Indispensible Info: thank you both so much!

Great links

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Also, if you want to go into Italy, make sure you can take your rental there. Most companies ask for compulsory CDW/higher rates if you are planning on driving your car into Italy.

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